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mikejuk (1801200) writes "As 2012, Alan Turing Year, draws to close a group of highly regarded UK scientists, including Professor Stephen Hawking, have repeated the call for a posthumous pardon for Turing's criminal conviction in a letter to the Telegraph. The letter has re-opened the debate, which is controversial even for those who support the idea that Turing was treated in an unfair and appalling way, was formally acknowledged by the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 2009 when he apologized for the treatment Turing had received.In February Justice Minister Lord McNally rebuffed a 23,000 signature petition for a pardon saying:"A posthumous pardon was not considered appropriate as Alan Turing was properly convicted of what at the time was a criminal offense".Over the course of 2012 Alan Turing's life, work and legacy has been celebrated throughout the world. There is no doubt that he made many remarkable contributions in many fields of science. Is it Turing's reputation that blemished by this criminal conviction — or is it instead the reputation of the society that treated homosexuals in such a barbaric way that suffers?"Link to Original Source